Neil Gaiman-, Amber Benson-starring Kickstarter film surpasses goal

Blood Kiss

Another Kickstarter project with some big names attached has found success on the crowd-funding site. Blood Kiss, a feature-length noir film starring prolific fantasy writer Neil Gaiman and Buffy the Vampire Slayer alum Amber Benson, surpassed its funding goal on Kickstarter at the end of May and is now nearing its final day of funding.

Blood Kiss will star Gaiman in his feature live-action acting debut as a 1940s movie director who shoots his films only at night. (Blood Kiss being a vampire movie, I wonder why that would be…)

“Part of the joy of playing a vampire is you’re automatically on the dark side,” Gaiman said in a video for the Kickstarter campaign, “and the joy of playing a director, obviously, is that you’re way on the dark side. All directors are creatures of the dark side.”

Benson will play sexy jazz singer Ruby Day. Aside from that, details on the film’s plot are slim, but its talent alone has attracted plenty of funders. The screenplay is by Michael Reeves, known for his writing for TV shows like Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and novels, including Star Wars tie-ins. Reaves and Gaiman co-wrote the YA book InterWorld and its recent sequel, The Silver Dream.

With less than 48 hours to go in Blood Kiss‘ funding period, the project has passed its $50,000 goal with more than $65,000 in pledges.

A graphic-novel version of the film is also being created simultaneously.

The film brings Benson back to the vampire genre of Buffy (she also played a vampire in an episode of Supernatural). Gaiman has previously honed his acting skills on Felicia Day’s web series The Guild, where he played himself, and as a voice actor in The Simpsons and Jay and Silent Bob’s Super Groovy Cartoon Movie.